The Ken And Barbie Killers: Where Are Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka Now In 2025?

The case of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, infamously known as the "Ken and Barbie Killers," remains one of the most chilling and controversial chapters in Canadian criminal history. Their crimes—the sexual assault and murder of multiple young women, including Karla's own sister, Tammy Homolka—continue to generate intense public fascination and outrage decades later. As of December 2025, the two individuals are living starkly different lives, with one facing perpetual incarceration and the other attempting to blend into society, a situation that sparks continuous debate about justice, rehabilitation, and the nature of true evil. The enduring public interest in this couple is fueled by the horrific nature of their crimes, the controversial plea deal Karla Homolka received, and the ongoing attempts of Paul Bernardo to achieve parole. The latest updates center on Bernardo's repeated parole denials and the highly scrutinized private life of Homolka, who now lives under a new identity with her children, a reality that deeply distresses the victims' families and the Canadian public.

The Definitive Biography of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka

The couple's seemingly perfect facade hid a terrifying reality that unfolded in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the Niagara region of Ontario.

Paul Kenneth Bernardo

• Born: August 27, 1964, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
• Aliases: Paul Jason Teale, The Scarborough Rapist.
• Education: Attended the University of Toronto Scarborough, studying business and accounting.
• Crimes: Convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and aggravated sexual assault. Initially began as "The Scarborough Rapist," committing a series of sexual assaults between 1987 and 1990.
• Victims (with Karla): Tammy Homolka (Karla's younger sister), Leslie Mahaffy, and Kristen French.
• Current Status (2025): Serving a life sentence as a dangerous offender at Millhaven Institution in Bath, Ontario. He was recently denied parole for the third time, a decision that was met with relief by the victims' families.

Karla Leanne Homolka

• Born: May 4, 1970, in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada.
• Aliases: Karla Leanne Teale, Leanne Bordelais.
• Education: Studied to become a veterinary technician.
• Crimes: Convicted of manslaughter after entering a controversial plea deal, often called the "deal with the devil," in exchange for testimony against Bernardo.
• Sentence: Served 12 years and was released in 2005.
• Current Status (2025): Living under a new identity, reportedly as Leanne Bordelais, in a Montreal suburb, Chateauguay, Quebec. She is married to Thierry Bordelais (Karla's former pen pal's brother) and is a mother of three children. Her attempts to live a quiet life are continually disrupted by media and public scrutiny.

Paul Bernardo's Perpetual Denial of Parole and Incarceration Status

Paul Bernardo remains a figure of unrepentant evil in the eyes of the Canadian public and the Parole Board of Canada. His attempts to be released from prison are consistently and emphatically denied, ensuring he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. The most recent parole hearing was a significant media event, with the families of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French once again delivering powerful, emotional victim impact statements. The Parole Board's decision to deny his request for temporary absences, day parole, and full parole was based on critical factors:

• Psychological Profile: Bernardo is officially diagnosed as a psychopath and a severe sexual sadist with a narcissistic personality disorder. The Board views his risk to re-offend as unmanageable in the community.
• Lack of Insight: He continues to show little genuine remorse or insight into the depravity of his crimes, often attempting to minimize his role or shift blame to Homolka.
• Public Safety: The Board has repeatedly determined that Bernardo does not meet the legal requirements for release, as he poses an undue risk to society.

The victims' families, represented by their lawyer, continue to fight fiercely to ensure Bernardo is never released, arguing that his release would constitute a second sentence for them—a life of fear and anxiety.

Karla Homolka's Controversial New Life and Public Outcry

While Paul Bernardo is locked away, Karla Homolka has been free since 2005, a situation that remains highly contentious. Her release, secured through a plea bargain where she claimed to be a battered wife and passive participant, was later discredited by the discovery of the "home video tapes" that proved her willing and active involvement in the torture and murders.

The Life of "Leanne Bordelais"

Since her release, Homolka has relocated multiple times, eventually settling in the Montreal suburb of Chateauguay, Quebec. She has successfully created a new life:

• She married Thierry Bordelais, the brother of a former pen pal, and is reported to be a mother of three young children.
• She lives under the assumed name Leanne Bordelais, but her identity is an open secret within her community and the Quebec media.

The most significant public controversy in recent years revolves around her children's safety and their attendance at local public schools. The presence of a notorious serial killer in a quiet, family-oriented community has raised hard questions from parents and local authorities. While legal experts note that Homolka has served her time and is free to live her life, the ethical and moral concerns about her proximity to other children persist.

The Enduring Legacy of the "Deal with the Devil"

The central controversy of the Paul and Carla case is the "deal with the devil" that allowed Karla Homolka to plead guilty to manslaughter and serve only 12 years in prison. This plea was based on the premise that she was coerced by Bernardo. The subsequent discovery of the 17 "home video tapes"—graphic evidence of the couple's crimes, including the sexual assault and murder of her own sister, Tammy Homolka—revealed her to be a willing and enthusiastic participant. This evidence fundamentally changed the public perception of Homolka from a victim to a cold-blooded collaborator. The tapes, which detailed the events in graphic, vivid detail, were a key element in the subsequent legal battles and are often cited as the primary reason for the lingering public disgust. Even decades later, the legal system's failure to adequately punish Homolka for her full role in the crimes continues to be a major point of legal and ethical analysis, ensuring that the names Paul and Carla will forever be synonymous with one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in modern history.